How to cut tree SWARMED with poisen ivy

[Richard]

There is an old old OLD tree...I'm told it's a white oak, that is now dead. The tree is probably 3' diamater or a bit smaller, but it's a large one.

Surrounding the trunk like a bush that sticks out probably 15' diamater, is (are?) tons and tons of poisen ivy. The tree is in somewhat of an opening, so there is access to all sides of it by foot or even to drive the backhoe. No issues with it falling on any targets either, pretty much cut it in any direction.

Since the tree is dead (and on TVA ground) I'm going to ask the TVA dude for permission to cut it down...he'll probably agree (if not, all the following is moot)

Being one allergic to PI, what might you do to get access to this tree.

1. Wait until winter when all PI is just dormant vines/branches sticking out everywhere and perhaps use backhoe to rake bark to remove?

2. Spray all I can NOW with Roundup to try to be sure to "kill" the plants (realizing the oil is still in there) and then wait until winter again for removal?

No way I'd even THINK about taking the tree down in season with that green bushy monster surrounding it.

I don't think the tree would be worth a nickel to anyone for lumber because it's a very scragly looking tree. My thinking is firewood.

Any thoughts?

 

[Inspector507]

<font color="blue"> Wait until winter when all PI is just dormant </font>

If you happen to cut into that bush, even in the winter, you're gonna get the juice all over you. Does any of it grow up on the tree? If it does, using a saw will get it all over you in the process.
If it's free-standing, a backhoe may be the tool for the job.........but I wouldn't go near it, for lumber OR firewood /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
I get a severe reaction to it.

 

[Richard]

of course it vines itself up the tree, probably 15 feet? (just a wild guess)

What I mean by that is, there is a huge wild bushy looking area that is like 15' diameter and 15' high. This is NOT "just a couple of vines" snaking their way up.

 

[Inspector507]

No matter what you do with the vines, they'll have the juice in them for years to come. If you can pull them off the tree with a hoe, that may be an idea, but you're gonna have to try it. I'll watch from Ohio..... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[sassafraspete]

My wife has a lasting memory from an experience with poison ivy as a teenager. Her dad was burning a brush pile that contained old poison ivy vines. She got a severe case of poison ivy....over a large portion of her body. She didn't touch the brush, or anything....but was occasionally in the smoke of the fire.

 

[ScottAR]

Nuclear bomb is out... (I'm severely allergic as well)

Use your backhoe to uproot the tree and wash the backhoe after.... Stuff the PI in the stump hole. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[beenthere]

I am allergic to poison ivy too. One case of it was cutting white oak with PI vines in the dead of winter, with snow on the ground. The chips from cutting (vines still on the bark) were hitting my neck and dropping down my shirt. Good case from that one. I itch just thinking about it. And I was doing it for a buddy and didn't get any of the firewood (probably good that I didn't).
If the tree is really important to you, I would go in, cut it down, remove the vines, block it up, and then within two hours, wash real good (i.e. shower). After each episode cutting it or splitting it, I would also wash within two hours. Then, when moving the firewood into the house, and until it is burned, I would handle with gloves and wash. (Wash clothes too).
I can avoid (knock on wood) getting PI rash if I wash off the oils within two hours (maybe longer but I don't push it more than two) of contact. I even have the habit of washing my hands after tying my boot laces, as I often walk through PI in the woods. I am a bit paranoid, but for 30+ years have not had much rash from PI. When I was 20, I could work in it all day long and it wouldn't bother. At about 30, I burned a lot of brush with PI and I think the smoke broke down any defense my system had against it.
As I mentioned -- is this wood real important? It can be done. Good luck.

 

[Richard]

Frankly to ME, the wood means nothing, however, my wife's uncle who lives next door, uses wood as his primary heat source. Since he's roughly 84, I've been trying to get/split his wood for him. I've even dumped a bucket load or two inside his garage (with pending storm) so he'd have a bunch easily handy.

Anyway, so it's for him. I have a BIG pile cut for him and a supply of logs on my pile. I'm always keeping an eye open for more logs. Since I have an inventory of wood, time is on my side to spray/kill, let dry out a bit or some other plan of attack.

I kinda hate the idea of just watching that dead tree just go to waste when it alone, would probably be enough wood for most of a season for him. (no idea how much he uses nor how much in tree, but it's big)

 

[cisco]

If you spray Roundup at twice the usual concentration on the PI, it'll die. Wait until the winter after next (e.g., December 2005), and the vines won't be very allergenic. I know, as I had PI on a substantial number of trees on my property, and now I only have 1 sprig trying to grow up 1 tree (and I'll zap it next weekend). You can pull the vines off now, if covered with a cap, gloves, long-sleeved turtle neck sweater, jeans and high top rubber boots - just change gloves (not touching the outsides of the gloves you used on the PI), and peel off all the clothing in your garage or porch or whatever (hopefully, out of view of neighbors), and put such directly into the washer (high temp and soap wash). I'm sensitive to PI, and have done the aforementioned, without problems - just think about every motion, and avoid contaminating anything your skin will touch.

 

[BB_TX]

I would go with the spray it now approach. That will give it much more time to dry out. Since it is fairly open around the tree, once the stuff is dead and dry, you might consider burning it where it stands (staying up wind of course and making sure the wind is blowing away from everything else of concern). When good and dry, it should burn fast and hot without burning the large tree. Maybe just blacken it a little. Then you can get in and cut the tree, still being careful to cover up.